The Repentant Faith
The Repentant Faith is a progressive religious movement that rapidly grew in size, structure, and prominence shortly after the reign of the Blood Eagle. It has billions of adherents throughout Acheron Rho, including a large number of scientists, spiritualists, and activists, each with their own unique world view. The common beliefs of its members are acceptance of all, including aliens, and that all conscious life has a soul. Those of the Repentant faith believe that the aggressive way mankind dealt with alien life in the past was wrong, and that we should make good for this through deeds of repentance and an acceptance of all conscious life. Especially in recent times, many individuals and sects associated with the Repentant faith have been covertly involved in extending charitable activities to not just aliens, but synthetics too. Conviction about synthetic soulhood (though not always synthetic goodness) has also grown to be a distinctive belief of the movement. Repentant individuals are dispersed among countless autonomous sects across the sector, but the movement maintains its highest per capita concentration of adherents on Cabina in the Benilli system. This planet was the homeworld and center of operations for The Church of Humanity, Repentant for over 200 years, and today is home to the headquarters of SERAPH, a sector-spanning charitable conglomerate that enjoys the support of many mainline Repentant sects. Many in the Repentant faith consider Cabina their spiritual homeworld, and alongside any official meetings they might have with SERAPH, it is rumored that influential members of Repentant sects may also meet on Cabina in other more secretive ways to coordinate additional plans of their members and projects across the sector. Doctrine The Three Tenets A highly diverse composition of individuals and sects consider themselves aligned with the Repentant faith, and as a result there are many different schools of thought with wildly different doctrines (or lack thereof). There are, however, three core tenets that every Repentant sect and member will normally subscribe to: # The Soul begets Consciousness, Consciousness begets the Soul. # All conscious life is valuable and should be treated with respect. # We must atone for the mistakes of our past through Repentance, through Word and Deed. These tenets were formulated by the founders of The Church of Humanity, Repentant based on the disorganized and disparate ideologies of the pre-Church movements, and continue to this day to be the primary touchstone of those who consider themselves Repentant. The faith is, however, full of charismatic leaders who have developed their own following and teachings, as well as individuals motivated primarily by the practical and ethical side of the three tenets rather than more intellectual or spiritual concerns. A recent reaffirmation of the Three Tenets was found in the 3200 Statement of Shared Values, wherein various subfactions and sects of the Repentant faith strove to find and reaffirm areas of common ground and concern. The Sacred Texts Shortly after its founding, The Church of Humanity Repentant organized full standardized translations of the Sacred Texts of the High Church of Messiah-as-Emperox into all known local and serf languages of the sector. The original texts were obtained in full through a former High Church Exarch who left the High Church behind for exile on Cabina. Those of the Repentant faith do their best to make these translations publicly available through libraries, though High Church social and economic pressure have made sure that as of yet, sect-affiliated libraries and retailers are generally the only places where they are available. Furthermore, Repentant preachers are known for using the local tongue in their sermons rather than the Latin-rooted clerical tongue of the High Church. The Great Rethinkers In addition to these shared Sacred Texts, those of the Repentant faith maintain their own informal secondary canon of texts known as the Words of the Great Rethinkers. This is a loose canon of texts and holovids, some of which overlap with the Sacred Texts, that at least some in the Repentant faith consider reflective of the Three Tenets. Some Great Rethinkers are proven historical figures, some are undeniably mythical, or if they did exist they certainly did not live the lives described. Most fall in a grey area in between these two, with their historicity hotly debated amongst those so inclined. There is no official prescription on who is or is not considered a Great Rethinker, only traditions of history and custom that sects and members are free to disregard. No rethinker is accepted by all, and no initiate supports every rethinker's work. With each new convert, a new perspective is brought into the practices of the Faith. The Beatitude Catechisms : Main article: Beatitude Catechisms A set of teachings that is among the most widely read and adopted by sects and members of the Repentant Faith Repentant. It is officially attributed to the Crusader of Contrition, aka the Last Exarch, the first and most mythical of the Great Rethinkers of the faith. Organization The Repentant faith always had a highly decentralized structure, even during the two centuries during which many sects federated under the umbrella of The Church of Humanity, Repentant. With the dissolution of the CHR, it is now effectively a disorganized movement of autonomous sects and individuals, in some degree of philosophical alignment. Individuals often consider themselves "Repentant" with no clear affiliation to any sect or group, and each individual sect or order or organization has its own forms of government and organization, and its own particular religious and/or charitable projects it supports. There is no central council that decrees or enforces alignment to the Three Tenets or other doctrine; sects or individuals simply consider themselves "Repentant" insofar as they feel that they align with the historical or cultural understanding of the word and the movement. Individual sects and organizations follow their own preferences in names, titles, and hierarchy. Representing its embrace of diversity, naming schemes in the Repentant faith are myriad. Its adherents hold titles from doctor, to professor, to brothers and priests, and innumerate more esoteric or idiosyncratic titles specific to one sect or person. The only universal scheme is that the term "sibling" is used sector-wide as the general term of address between adherents when not using names or more formal titles. In addition to the iconography of their particular sects and organizations, members of the movement may also quietly use (and recognize one another by) iconography inherited from The Church of Humanity, Repentant, particularly the black and white imagery of its "alien" symbol. One may also often find particular sects collaborating and working together on charitable efforts on which they find themselves in alignment. The organization SERAPH, in particular, is supported and sponsored by a large number of mainline Repentant sects throughout the sector. Alongside any official meetings they might have with SERAPH, it is rumored that influential members of Repentant sects may also meet on Cabina in other more secretive ways to coordinate additional plans of their members and projects across the sector. Any more secretive and less licit coordination by Repentant sects (especially concerning projects related to synthetic support, more radical or anti-Imperial religious movements, or Repentant sects suppressed on various worlds), colloquially goes by the name "the Repentant underground." History The War for Human Prosperity The Repentant Faith claims its earliest origins in the original opposition against alien genocide that arose during and after the original "War for Human Prosperity" from 2206-2215. That such a movement existed is considered plausible by even the most secular of scholars, but how much of extant texts and teachings truly reflect this period, rather than later embellishment and mythologisation, is a topic of fierce and continual debate, as is how important or insignificant this original movement truly was. Among the most famous semi-legendary figure of this period was the Crusader of Contrition, a former High Church Exarch who it is said exiled themselves conduct a Vigil of Repentance around the sector with a group of likeminded followers, weeping for the blood shed and prostrating themselves towards the surviving aliens. That this timeline does not seem to coincide with the officially recognized sequence of the war and the founding of The Empire and the High Church is considered by some an argument against its veracity, but meaningless to the innumerate others who look to the Crusader of Contrition as a saint and exemplar of human repentance, and to the truths that can still be found within their teachings. Ancient faiths present in the sector, such as The Way, Soul Ex Sol, and the Clockworkers' Faith, also bore elements that would come to align them with the ethos of the Repentant movement. Post-Scream Survival and the Blood Eagle In the chaotic era following the Scream in 2665, various additional movements spread across the sector espousing the ideals of Repentance, with many pointing to the Scream as Divine punishment for humanity's sins. These movements were small and largely insignificant, but they preserved and expanded on the texts of Repentance. Various movements grew in size, influence, and prominence during the reign of the Blood Eagle, particularly in response to the bombing of Cabina in 2906, which they saw as a fresh rebirth and reminder of humanity's sins. Founding of The Church of Humanity, Repentant In the aftermath of the reign of The Blood Eagle and her death in 2955, the sector became ready to embrace the ideals associated with Repentance. Membership of existing movements skyrocketed, and numerous new ones were founded, quickly gaining large followings. Recognizing their common cause, and the benefit of cooperation, the leaders of the most prominent of these movements traveled to Cabina and there formulated the Three Tenets and founded The Church of Humanity, Repentant as a visible and centralized institution for the Repentant faith. Over the next 230 years of its existence, nearly all other Repentant groups throughout the sector, large and small, came to join under the umbrella of the CHR. During this period, the Repentant faith grew in greater public prominence, and the organization of the CHR provided a powerful coordinating network and unifying presence. Though often great social and cultural pressure was brought against Repentant adherents, its sects and churches and organizations existed in a state of religious toleration, as long as they visibly followed local and Imperial law. The War Against the Artificials In the early stages of the conflict, many in the faith openly advocated for synthetic rights regardless of the truth or falsity of House Crux's claims regarding the House Cygnus plot. As the conflict progressed, most in the CHR's governing council believed that the Church should continue to remain neutral and advocate for non-violent resolution. Members of the faith who absolutely could not bear the bombing of Gats or genocide of the synthetics being committed found themselves at odds with the official stance of neutrality endorsed by the CHR's governing council. Regardless their stances on neutrality vs. action, Repentant faithful rejected the High Church's right to excommunicate House Cygnus, declare synthetics soulless, or justify genocide based upon denial of soulhood. Dissolution of The Church of Humanity, Repentant In 3200, after a period of intense debate and internal strife, the leadership of The Church of Humanity, Repentant, elected to have the CHR join the organization of the Sector Trade Organization, in what it viewed as an important step in furthering the spread of the Repentant faith and its ideals. The members of the STO signed of the Treaty of Cabina, guaranteeing the CHR (and through it, its Repentant sects) equality of legal recognition with the High Church. Later concessions included agreements among STO members to further equality of rights and protections for all conscious beings, should the STO factions achieve supremacy in the conflict. As conflict between the STO and Empire escalated, the church's Liberator coalition took the helm of the CHR's political involvement in the sector, arguing that violent overthrow of the systems of Empire was a necessary part of humanity's path of Repentance. This shift in politics and doctrine, from a church that had heretofore officially preached and practiced primarily nonviolent methods, resulted in a growing schism among both the Concord and Repentant faithful across the sector. Following the STO's defeat by the High Church and Empire, the organization of The Church of Humanity Repentant fractured beyond repair. Causes included threat of violent retribution for the CHR's actions in the war and continued stances, internal schism of its leadership (particularly over the question of how to respond and adapt to a changing sector post-STO), diplomatic isolation, and retraction of support from its member sects and organizations. Post-CHR Evolution The dissolution of the CHR left its formerly associated Repentant sects, organizations, and members in disorganization and chaos for a period of time. After over two centuries of increased coordination and centralization, Repentant individuals, sects, and organizations were left having to find new ways to organize and spread the faith, without the benefit of a visible and unifying institution. In the chaos following the dissolution, many sects recommitted themselves to furthering their own distinctive religious activities and to the spread of their own particular literature and preaching. They also sought new ways to further the particular charitable efforts they remained associated and involved with, from soup kitchens, to educational institutions, to medical facilities, to protections for serfs and aliens. Many also sought ways to continue to coordinate smuggling and support of synthetics. With the loss of access to CHR Welcome and Outreach Centers, sects without access to their own land and chapel went back to previous practices of house churches, private gatherings, or borderline-illegal public gatherings. Sects allowed by local governments to continue their worship and work did so openly. More radical sects and elements of the faith went quietly underground to avoid persecution. Many above-ground Repentant sects would come to be sponsors and donors of SERAPH, a sector-wide charitable society with a strong Repentant ethos. Often under the guise of meetings with SERAPH, sect members would sometimes also coordinate less licit plans with one another, or find excuses to come to Cabina to connect with representatives of the Repentant underground. Relevant News Articles: * BREAKING NEWS: Repentant Sects Break with the Church (Twitter link) * Letter to the Repentant of Acheron Rho: Idealist (Twitter link) * Letter to the Repentant of Acheron Rho: Liberator (Twitter link) * Letter to the Repentant of Acheron Rho: Balance (Twitter link) * First Missive of the Repentant Underground (Twitter link to video) * BREAKING NEWS: Liberators at the Plaza (Twitter link) * BREAKING NEWS: Gran Panacea Medical Center Goes Independent as Charitable Foundation! (Twitter link) * BREAKING NEWS: Hall of Concord in Flames! (Twitter link) * BREAKING NEWS: Famous Cabina Library Launches Educational Foundation (Twitter link) * BREAKING NEWS: Welcome Center Wars! (Twitter link) * BREAKING NEWS: New Serf Advocacy Association on Cabina (Twitter link) * SPECIAL REPORT: Repentant Sects - Where Are They Now? (Twitter link) * BREAKING NEWS: Secret Meetings on Cabina! (Twitter link) * ELECTION REPORT: Results of the Election for Cabina Governor! (Twitter link) * BREAKING NEWS: Grand Gathering on Cabina? (Twitter link) * SERAPH Founding Press Release (Twitter link) Sects and Religious Orders Though there are more sects within the faith than can be counted (the last census of the Church of Humanity, Repentant, put the number of its affiliated sects in the thousands), there are several noteworthy sects that are currently particularly active and influential. Some of these are listed below. These sects can be divided according to whether they are local or sector-wide. Sector-wide Sects and Religious Orders Sector-wide sects are sects that, though they may be most dominant on some worlds, are fairly evenly spread out across the sector and whose members might reasonably be found any place where there is a Repentant presence. Local Sects and Religious Orders Local sects are sects that, though they may have minor presences across the sector, are most dominant on certain worlds and whose members are most likely to be on said world. Ceremonies and Practices There are as many variations of practices and rituals as there are members of the movement, and the amount of rituals itself also varies heavily between sects and individual members. A few examples of practices that have become common among multiple orders are: Charity and Outreach One of the few near-universal practices among Repentant sects and members is to do works of repentance. While the exact nature of these works vary, they are often particularly concerned with reaching the plight of those 'non-humans' who are (often very intentionally) overlooked by anthropocentric charities such as those run by the High Church. In addition to straight-up charitable works, many sects and members engage in outreach activities aimed at fostering peace and understanding between humans (both of and not of the faith) and aliens. This emphasis on charitable activities and outreach is what has led many sects to sponsor SERAPH. Especially in recent times, many sects and members have covertly expanded these activities to include synthetic outreach. Sect leaders publicly deny and condemn accusations of such activities, but in truth and absolute secrecy, Repentant individuals and sects are often involved in projects to systematically rescue persecuted synthetics, humans, and aliens and resettle them with new identities elsewhere in the empire, including the efforts of Vigil's Railroad and Synthetic Sector Safety Support. Unveiling Unveiling is a common practice in the Repentant faith by which a (often newly inducted) member admits to their guilt and complicity in the search for forgiveness by the divine. After a soul is Unveiled, the soul is always considered forgiven for their past deeds, but are not redeemed. Redemption and true Repentance in the eyes of the divine comes from repentance both in Word and in Deed. The closing line spoken to the member at the end of their Unveiling is: "These are your Words, your Deeds must manifest." The Vigil Within the Repentant faith, the term 'the Vigil' is widely used to refer to a concept of pilgrimage focused on traveling to sites with historic significance to the faith and human-alien relations, often involving doing works of repentance along the way. The term's popularity is largely due to its use in some of the earliest church texts to describe the journeys of repentance made by the Crusader of Contrition. The exact length, destinations, and natures of these pilgrimages vary wildly, but certain routes and rituals have become popular among multiple sects. More recently, sects have been adding locations seemingly more related to human-synth history than human-alien history to their Vigils' destinations. In addition, an almost suspicious number of renegade synths have been caught in the company of so-called 'vigilant pilgrims'. Though sect leaders have publicly condemned the spreading of such rumors, in truth and absolute secrecy, the Vigil pilgrimages form one of the backbones of the Vigil's Railroad. Ongoing Debates Except for agreement on the three tenets, almost any conceivable position is held by some sect or individual within the Repentant faith. A few examples of particularly prominent debates are: The Nature of the Soul As per the first tenet, the soul begets consciousness and consciousness begets the soul. But is the soul a supernatural, spiritual, phenomenon separate from matter? Or is the soul simply another term for the phenomenon of consciousness when it arises naturally from matter according to natural laws? The Extent of the Anima As per the first and second tenets, all conscious, intelligent life is in possession of fundamentally equal souls. But what about animals? Plants? Rocks? Opinions within the faith run the gamut from those arguing only intelligent self-aware beings have souls, to those arguing everything, down to the void of space itself, is inherently ensouled. The Demands of Repentance As per the third tenet, repentance cannot be a solely internal process, but must be acted out in deed. But which deeds does repentance demand? Again opinions run the gamut. Some sects advocate primarily basic charity to sentient beings, some advocate ritual self-flagellation, and some advocate active measures to not only repair the results of past sins, but prevent humanity from committing more sins in the present and future. Recorded Debates The above link contains recordings of several recent debates among adherents of the Repentant faith, and between members of the Repentant faith and members of The High Church of Messiah-as-Emperox. Ideological Schools Per the second and third tenets of their faith, Repentant individuals and sects feel compelled to put their faith into action. In attempting to do so, deep and fractious differences have arisen in answers to the questions "What does it mean to Repent in Word and Deed?" and "What does it mean to treat all conscious life with respect?" and "What kinds of action should be taken, and when, in the face of injustice?" Insofar as members of the faith involve themselves in the politics of the sector, and in attempts to effect systemic change, these differences in interpretation often lead them to identify with one of three different schools of thought. Idealist Philosophy The teachings of Idealist philosophy emphasize that corrective actions in one's own life and soul must be taken to show others the better way to be. Its adherents place paramount importance on remaining pure and incorruptible to reflect Repentance as it should be. They argue that the turning of the heart toward Repentance must be the first step of any change, and that when a sentient being has Repented they will do the correct Deeds and say the correct Words. They also believe that a perfectly Repentant soul will be blessed in the eyes of the Divine. What matters is that the individual expresses the purity of their soul in Repentant words and deeds of their own lives, which will then inspire Repentance in others. Most sects and members associated with this ideology categorically reject all forms of violence against sentient beings as incompatible with acts of Repentance, though they will support various acts of nonviolent civil disobedience. They believe that the individual who fails to remain pure will fail to be truly Repentant in their Words and Deeds. Traditionally, Idealists have advocated for the institutions of the faith to use social influence to bring about change. Its adherents are often found working within the systems of the Empire, and whenever possible collaborating with the High Church of Messiah-as-Emperox and the noble houses. An example of the Idealist philosophy, applied to the fall of the CHR, can be found here, and examples of the Idealist responses during the STO conflict can be found here. Balance Philosophy The Balance philosophy is a melting pot of wildly different views, whose one shared feature is an emphasis on practicality and the impact of actions and doctrines on the normal daily lives of the Repentant member. Followers of this philosophy will support what seems best for both the furtherance of the faith's goals and the wellbeing of members of the faith and their sects, always weighing the pro's and con's of each decision and the intended and unintended consequences it will have (especially the consequences for the lay Repentant member). A common saying among those of the Balance school is "people are both the means and the ends." These pragmatists generally come from the oldest, most established, member sects of the Repentant faith that have invested a lot in gaining large followings on their homeworlds and/or across the sector, and who have the most to lose or benefit from major systemic changes. Members of this school will often also be found committing themselves to the unglamorous work of "keeping the lights on" and navigating practical and legal hurtles. An example of the Balance philosophy, applied to the fall of the CHR, can be found here, and examples of Balance responses during the STO conflict can be found here. Liberator Philosophy The Liberator philosophy presents the nature of Repentance as always one of struggle -- both internal spiritual struggle against sin, and external physical struggle against the unrepentant and their blasphemies. In layman's terms: an act of Repentance in this life is an act that partakes in the Struggle that will continue in perpetuity, until error and injustice is vanquished, and all souls achieve deliverance in the eyes of the Divine. In addition, it is the duty of all Repentant to usher in this age of harmony, by liberating the Repentant from the unrepentant, and to live not in fear of any material harm, but to suffer and die as the Divine may demand. Adherents of this philosophy use the tenet of respect and value for life to justify the use of force, threats, and violence. They argue that they not acting on behalf of themselves, but on behalf of the legitimate ultimate authority on life, and serving both the Divine and ultimately the unrepentant when they deliver unto the unrepentant the judgment of the Divine. A Liberator will argue that their actions, even when violent, are justified by the fact that they will further the progress of bringing about Repentance for all sentient beings. Many of the sects and members associated with this ideology were radicalized as a result of events in the recent past like the War Against the Artificials. There was no doubt in their minds that, regardless of the crimes committed by the Cygnus Emperox, the indiscriminate genocide of House Cygnus and all synthetics, and bombing of Gats, was not the answer. They saw how many of their siblings refused to do anything, and believed them cowards fearing reprisal from the High Church and Empire more than the judgement of the Divine. To many Liberators, inaction in the face of evil is one of the greatest sins possible. An example of the Liberator philosophy, applied to the fall of the CHR, can be found here, and examples Liberator responses during the STO conflict can be found here and here. Repentant Slogans and Sayings Below are just some examples of slogans and sayings commonly associated with the Repentant faith: "Rethink and Repent" "All Hands are Hands of the Divine" "Hands are Hands, Souls are Souls" "Animae servimus" "A tree with many branches bears a lot more fruit than a pile of twigs" "We are all at our best when we are all together." "May the Divine have mercy on us, for we have none for ourselves." "Injustice will not end what injustice birthed." "The Church is dead, the Faith lives on." An album of various posters that have been found publicly posted in areas with Repentant activity can be found here. An example of Liberator propaganda can be found here and an example Repentant Underground propaganda can be found here. Creating a Repentant Character ''For more information and a FAQ on creating a Repentant character, please see the page Create a Repentant Character. '' RollPlay Show Original Characters Below is a list of named characters who are original creations made for the Far Verona Rollplay show, either as PC's or NPC's, and are known members of the Repentant faith. As of yet, this list is empty. Patreon Player Original Characters Below is a list of named characters who are original creations made by the Patreon players participating in the Far Verona Faction Turn and Discord server, and are known members of the Repentant faith. Faction Turn Assets * Ardeshir Vela * The Shrouded Maiden * Veleris Skelkallan Non-Player Characters These characters were explicitly made to serve as NPC's, representing elements of the Repentant faith or its place in the setting. Anyone writing Repentant lore or playing a role-playing game set in the Far Verona setting should feel encouraged to reference these characters or have them cameo. * Preachers from the Ashes (Repentant punk band) * Seeker Pyxis Afolabi Branson * Grand Chemex Triangulum Arabica Kaldi * John Davelkolhn * Reverend Doctor Octavia Lemed Mariam * Quantess Eridanus Ankhayat Kirsten * Ms. Minty Repentance * Count Eridanus Ankhayat Emil * Roger Spittoon * Truecaller Canary Samson Samuel * Josef Underwood Player Characters These characters were made by Patreon players as their personal PC's. * Governor Mourne Kushrenade * Professor Lavi Thorund * Pilgrim Pyxis Kurul Atreus * Sister Pyxis Viola * Perfect Gautier of the Quill * Counsellor Victorine Wright * Sibling Crux Konrad Welf * Brother Morphos * Aegis Serpens Ralek Fezzim * Presbyter Abimelech Wray * Thoughtbearer Crux Edward Campbell * Practicus Aquila Baldric Peregrin * Dr. Vela Davarre Arash * Dr. Δ Aabye Søren * Dr. Mei Bai of the Seven Shen * Dr. Lyra Quinn Vardom, Philosophy * Father Hierodoctor Daam * Dr. Pietro MacNamara, Exogeology * Shinkan 夾白 Kensuke The Animast * Adherent Eli Crane * Korée Zunbil * Warder Gergely Veit * Reverend Edgar Ouroboros * S.P.A.C.E. Jeremiah Salt * Dr. Mbeah Malone External and Social Media Links * Cabina Communications Array (aka Twitter) (if there's Repentant folks posting stuff, they usually do it here, with or without the Cabina Communication Array's permission) * Imgur Album (definitely a bit of outdated branding) Category:The Church of Humanity, Repentant Category:SERAPH